August 19, 2013 will mark the 39th anniversary of one man's remarkable struggle against an ongoing pattern of state-supported systemic abuse. An Iranian-born dentist and oral surgeon by profession, Dr. Amir H. Shervin's professional career was inexplicably cut short soon after his arrival in the United States in the shadow of the Iranian Revolution. He has nonetheless achieved international notoriety as a poet and humanitarian. Through the years, a number of coalitions of Christian faith-based institutions have repeatedly spoken out in his behalf, appealing to authorities at the highest levels, but to no avail. Nevertheless, this latest 2013 Interfaith Coalition Petition represents the firm belief, heartily embraced by Dr. Shervin and his growing list of supporters, in the noble ideals of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" on which his adopted country was established and will endure, God willing. - WDP 9/9/2013